Knowledge and the Human Conditions

Margie E. Binag, Far Eastern University, Nicanor Reyes St, Sampaloc, Manila, 1008 Metro
Manila, 2019107351@feu.edu.ph

Introduction
This paper will provide exposure to the connection between ‘knowledge’ by Lemos and
some arguments of Arendt’s ‘Human Conditions’ with the supporting details from Noah Lemos’
book entitled ‘An Introduction to the Theory of Knowledge’ and Hanna Arendt’s book entitled
‘The Human Conditions’.

The pragmatic theory of truth concerning the human condition

The pragmatic theory of truth says that true beliefs are generally useful and false beliefs
are not (Lemos, 2007). In the human condition, since it says that human life in so far as it is
actively engaged in doing something, is always rooted in a world of men and manmade things
which it never leaves or altogether transcends (Arendt, 1958). The human activities are
connected to their true beliefs. What they believe in is what they usually choose to do, and they
always think that everything they do is somewhat useful to them since humans are more in
action. Noting this connection, the pragmatic theory tells us that a proposition is true if and only
if believing it or acting on it is useful (Lemos, 2007). 

Knowledge in the Public and Political realm

Descartes raised the possibility of massive deception by an evil demon, deception

so massive that most of our sensory experience of the world is illusory. In such a
scenario, our belief about the world around us would be entirely false. Still, they might be
quiet coherent. In fact, our beliefs might enjoy as much coherence in such a scenario as
they do right now. But again, they would be false (Lemos, 2007).

This relates to Arendt’s idea about the public that says “appearance - something that is
being seen and heard by others as well as by ourselves - constitutes reality” (Arendt, 1958).
Lemos said that the things perceived by our senses are not entirely true and Arendt said that what
people see, and others see is reality. Both of their ideas about reality, are both coherent but
somehow don’t justified what is the truth. Most political action, in so far as it remains outside the
sphere of violence, is indeed transacted in words, but more fundamentally that finding the right
words at the right moment, quite apart from the information or communication they may convey,
is action (Arendt, 1958). Politicians make actions through persuasion and what they say to the
people must be something connected to their true beliefs or from false beliefs as what is said that
true beliefs generally provide a good basis for action, that they are generally useful and that false
beliefs are generally a bad basis for action (Lemos, 2007).

Conclusion

         The pragmatic theory of truth explains human life as said in the human condition. It is said
that true beliefs are useful and bad are not and the things human usually do is always affected by
what they believe in. In the public realm what you see can be a reality, but it can be just
imaginary, and in the political realm, the action is more of a highlight and your true beliefs and
bad beliefs are the basis of your activities whether it will come out as good or bad.

References
Arendt, H. (1958). The Human Condition. In The Public and the Private Realm
(pp 22-73). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Lemos, N. (2007). An Introduction to the Theory of Knowledge. In Knowledge, Truth
and Justification (pp. 1-21). New York: Cambridge University Press.